Australia has best ever performance at World University Games
Published Sun 14 Jul 2019
Some outstanding performances with Australia securing five medals including a gold medal to Matt Denny in discus wrapped up the six day athletics competition at the World University Games in Naples Italy.
Australian athletics medal tally for the World University Games is 10 medals in total: four gold, three silver and two bronze medals:
- GOLD - Catriona Bisset (University of Melbourne & Peter Fortune) - Women’s 800m 2:01.20
- GOLD - Katie Hayward (Griffith University & Steve Langley) - 20kW 1:33.30
- GOLD – Female Racewalk Team Event; Katie Hayward (Griffith University & Steve Langley), Jemima Montag (The University of Melbourne & Brent Vallance), Philippa Huse (Monash University & Cathy Huse)
- GOLD – Matt Denny (Griffith University & Ben Thomson) – Discus 65.27m
- SILVER - Jemima Montag (The University of Melbourne & Brent Vallance) - 20kW 1:33.57
- SILVER – Georgia Griffith (Monash University & Stephen Ellinghaus) - 1500m 4:09.89
- SILVER - 4x100m Women Celeste Mucci (RMIT & Darren Clarke), Riley Day (Griffith University & Paul Pearce), Nana Owusu-Afriyie (Deakin University & Tony Marsh) & Abbie Taddeo (Australian College of Physical Education & Penny Gillies) with 43.97
- SILVER - Alec Diamond (Australian Catholic University & Zsuzsanna Olgyay-Szabo) – Decathlon Total 7593 PB (by 1point)
- BRONZE - 4x400m Women Jess Stafford (The University of Sydney & Dean Gleeson), Morgan Mitchell (Victoria University & Elizabeth Mathews), Gen Cowie (The University of Sydney & Lindsay Watson), Bella O’Grady (University of Technology Sydney & Penny Gillies) in 3:34.01
- BRONZE - Darcy Roper (The University of Queensland & John Boas) - LJ 3rd 7.90m
10 medals is the best ever performance by Australian team in the 60-year history of the Games. They surpass 5 medal hauls in 2009 and 2015.
During the evening session of Day 6 - Matt Denny threw 65.27m in the men’s discus, which is his third World Championship qualifying distance (65.00) in 2019:
- Australian Track and Field Championships – 65.28m (April, 2019)
- Adelaide Winter Series Throws Meet - 65.01m (June, 2019)
- World University Games - 65.27m (July, 2019)
It’s a PB in stadium throw for the Queenslander.
“It was good, I was very happy with how I started, but we were just missing that little bit but we figured out what we needed to do and I’m just thrilled to perform like that in a stadium,
“My PB is 65.67m (May, 2016) but that was with wind and this was in stadium, so this is probably the best throw I’ve ever done in my life, I’m just stoked with tonight,” Denny said.
Another brilliant result from Day 6 was the bronze medal that the women’s 4x400m team of Gen Cowie, Morgan Mitchell, Jess Stafford, & Bella O’Grady secured.
Coming from behind Bella O’Grady managed to run them home into third place, after the race Rio Olympian Morgan Mitchell who has run five races in six days said:
“I don’t want to get all Mummy on them but I’m so so proud of these three girls,
“Honestly that race is probably the highlight of my career, I know it sounds silly but I’ve always wanted an international medal,” Mitchell said.
Day 6 performances:
Ed Goddard (University of Technology Sydney & Gavin Burren) - Half M 4th 1:06.20
Bryce Anderson (The University of Canberra & Philo Saunders) - Half M 20th 1:10.41
Lachlan Cook (University of Virginia & Jason Dunn) - Half M DNF
Anna Kelly (LaTrobe University) - Half M 8th 1:16.06
Samantha Philips (The University of Queensland & Dennis Fitzgerald) - Half M 19th 1:21.35
Alysha Burnett (Australian Catholic University & Zsuzsanna Olgyay-Szabo) - HJ 4th 1.88m
4x100m Women - 2nd 43.97 (SILVER)
Celest Mucci (RMIT & Darren Clarke)
Riley Day (Griffith University & Paul Pearce)
Nana Owusu-Afriyie (Deakin University & Tony Marsh)
Abbie Taddeo (Australian College of Physical Education & Penny Gillies)
Matt Denny (Griffith University & Ben Thomson) – Discus 1st 65.27m (GOLD)
Georgia Griffith (Monash University & Stephen Ellinghaus) - 1500m 2nd 4:09.89 (SILVER)
Georgia Hansen (The University of Melbourne & Stephen Ellinghaus) - 10th 4:21.89
Chris Mitrevski (RMIT & John Boas) - LJ 5th 7.84m
Darcy Roper (The University of Queensland & John Boas) - LJ 3rd 7.90m (BRONZE)
4x400m Women - 3rd 3:34.01 (BRONZE)
Jess Stafford (The University of Sydney & Dean Gleeson)
Morgan Mitchell (Victoria University & Elizabeth Mathews)
Gen Cowie (The University of Sydney & Lindsay Watson)
Bella O’Grady (University of Technology Sydney & Penny Gillies)
Dan Canala (The University of Adelaide & Adam Didyk) - 5000m 14th 14:41.44
Day 5 performances:
Katie Hayward (Griffith University & Steve Langley) - 20kW 1st 1:33.30
Jemima Montag (The University of Melbourne & Brent Vallance) - 20kW 2nd 1:33.57
Philippa Huse (Monash University & Cathy Huse) - 20kW 15th 1:44.09
Declan Tingay (The University of Western Australia & Steven Tingay) - 20kW DQ
Tori West Heptathlon (The University of Queensland & Eric Brown - Heptathlon 5416
LJ 5.27m
Jav 53.27m
800m 2:27
Women’s 4x100m (Celeste Mucci, Riley Day, Abbie Taddeo, Nana Afriyie-Owusu) - Q 44.28
Chris Mitrevski (RMIT & John Boas - LJ q 7.71m
Darcy Roper (The University of Queensland & John Boas) - LJ q 7.66m
Angus Armstrong (RMIT & Alex Parnov) - PV 10th 5.06m
Stephen Clough (The University of Western Australia & Paul Burgess) - PV 11th 5.06m
Nicholas Andrews (Macquarie University & Mick Zisti) - 110mH Semi 13.86
Jacob McCorry (Macquarie University & Michael Zisti) - 110mH Semi 13.92
Mason Cohen (University of Technology Sydney & Ben Liddy) - 800m Semi 1:49.98
Jye Perrott (University of Technology Sydney & Ben Liddy) - 800m Semi 1:49.49
Max Stevens (Swinburne University of Technology & Adam Didyk) - 3k steeple 14th 8:57.40
Matt Clarke (LaTrobe University & Justin Rinaldi) - 3k Steeple 11th 8:43.91
Caitlin Adams (University of South Australia & Adam Didyk) - 5000m 8th 16:07.38
Women’s 4x400m (Jess Stafford, Morgan Mitchell, Gen Cowie, Bella O’Grady) - Q 3:34.51
Men’s 4x400m (Sean Fitzsimmons, Mason Cohen, Zach Holdsworth, Jye Perrott) 3:11.23
REPORT: https://www.athletics.com.au/news/gold-silver-for-australian-athletics-at-world-university-games/
Day 4 performances:
Alysha Burnett (Australian Catholic University & Zsuzsanna Olgyay-Szabo) - HJ Q 1.80m
Tori West Heptathlon The University of Queensland & Eric Brown -
100mH 14.90
HJ 1.68m
SP 13.53
200m 25.04
Matt Denny (Griffith University & Ben Thomson) - Discus Q 61.61m
Georgia Hansen (The University of Melbourne & Stephen Ellinghaus) - 1500m q 4:23.23
Georgia Griffith (Monash University & Stephen Ellinghaus) - 1500m Q 4:20.76
Mason Cohen (University of Technology Sydney & Ben Liddy) - 800m Q 1:51.54
Jye Perrott (University of Technology Sydney & Ben Liddy) - 800m Q 1:50.77
Jacob McCorry (Macquarie University & Michael Zisti) - 110mH q 14.10
Nicholas Andrews (Macquarie University & Mick Zisti) - 110mH Q 13.76
Riley Day 200m (Griffith University & Paul Pearce) - 17th 23.85
Nana Owusu-Afriyie (Deakin University Tony Marsh) - 200m 10th 23.56
Abbie Taddeo (Australian College of Physical Education & Penny Gillies) - 100mH q 13.42
Abbie Taddeo (Australian College of Physical Education & Penny Gillies) - 100mH Final 8th 13.68
Liam O’Brien (The University of Queensland & Benjamin Thomson) Jav 8th 75.04m
Paige Campbell (Charles Sturt University & Philo Saunders) 3k St 7th 10:03.63
Brianna Ilarrda (Providence College & Ray Treacy) - 3k St 5th 9:53.23
Dan Canala (The University of Adelaide & Adam Didyk) - 5000m Q 14:11.99
REPORT: https://www.athletics.com.au/news/busy-days-ahead-for-australian-athletes/
Day 3 performances:
Alec Diamond (Australian Catholic University & Zsuzsanna Olgyay-Szabo) – Decathlon
110mH 15.07
Discus 47.52m
Pole Vault 4.80m
Javelin 48.04m
1500m 4:55.59
Total 7593 PB(by 1point) (SILVER MEDAL)
Celest Mucci (RMIT & Darren Clark) - 100mH 14.03
Abbie Taddeo (Australian College of Physical Education & Penny Gillies) - 100mH 13.49 q
Angus Armstrong (The University of Sydney & Alex Parnov) - PV Q 5.25m
Stephen Clough (The University of Western Australia & Paul Burgess) - PV Q 5.25m
Nana Owusu-Afriyie (Deakin University Tony Marsh) - 200m Q 23.59
Riley Day (Griffith University Paul Pearce) - 200m Q 23.97
Brenton Foster (University of Virginia & Bryan Fetzer) - HJ 2.15 10th
Grant Szalek (The University of Western Australia & Grant Ward) - HJ 2.15 9th
Shemaiah James (The University of Queensland & Stacey Taurima) - TJ 9th 15.73m
Gabriella O’Grady (University of Technology Sydney & Penny Gillies) - 400m 7th 52.27
Catriona Bisset (The University of Melbourne & Peter Fortune) - 800m 1st 2:01.20 (GOLD MEDAL)
Morgan Mitchell (Victoria University & Elizabeth Mathews) - 800m 8th 2:04.14
Mackenzie Little (Stanford University & Zebulon Sion) - Jav 8th 55.37m
Caitlin Adams (University of South Australia & Adam Didyk) - 5000m 3rd Q 16:24
REPORT: https://www.athletics.com.au/news/gold-silver-for-australia-on-day-3/
Day 2 performances:
Liam O’Brien (The University of Queensland & Benjamin Thomson) – Javelin Q 71.61m
Zach Holdsworth (University of Wollongong & Michael Dooley) - 100m rerun 10.63
Alec Diamond (Australian Catholic University & Zsuzsanna Olgyay-Szabo) – Decathlon
100m 11.20
LJ 7.52m
SP 14.91m
HJ 1.88m
400m 52:05
3960 points.
Max Stevens (Swinburne University of Technology & Adam Didyk) - 3000m St Q 8:52
Matt Clarke (LaTrobe University & Justin Rinaldi) - 3000m St q 9:03
Gen Cowie (The University of Sydney & Lindsay Watson) - 400mH Semi 5th (9th) 57.91
Gabriella O’Grady (University of Technology Sydney & Penny Gillies) - 400m Semi Q 51.87
Celest Mucci (RMIT & Darren Clark) - 100m Semi 11.74
Morgan Mitchell (Victoria University & Elizabeth Mathews) - 800m Semi Q 2:02.91
Catriona Bisset (The University of Melbourne & Peter Fortune)800m Semi Q 2:01.46
Jess Harper (The University of Queensland & Stacey Taurima) - Long Jump 7th 6.30m
Liz Hedding (The University of Melbourne & Alex Stewart) – Long Jump 8th 6.29m
Riley Cocks (Flinders University & Adam Didyk) - 10,000m 30:36 10th
Lachlan Cook (University of Virginia & Jason Dunn) - 10,000m 30:56 13th
REPORT: https://www.athletics.com.au/news/success-continues-on-day-2-of-the-world-university-games/
Day 1 performances:
Gabriella O’Grady (University of Technology Sydney & Penny Gillies) - 400m Q 53.07
Genevieve Cowie (The University of Sydney & Lindsay Watson) - 400m H Q 57.91
Catriona Bisset (The University of Melbourne & Peter Fortune) - 800m Q 2:05.13 (qualified fastest in field)
Morgan Mitchell (Victoria University & Elizabeth Mathews) - 800m Q 2:06.17
Jess Bell (The University of Canberra & Michael Barber) - Javelin 49.04m
Mackenzie Little (Stanford University & Zebulon Sion) – Javelin Q 57.87m
Jess Harper (The University of Queensland & Stacey Taurima) – Long Jump Q 6.31m
Elizabeth Hedding (The University of Melbourne & Alex Stewart) – Long Jump Q 6.29m
Celeste Mucci (RMIT & Darren Clark) - 100m Q 11.66
Shemaiah James (The University of Queensland & Stacey Taurima) – Triple Jump Q 15.85m
Julian Konle (Curtin University & Gary Bourne) - Triple Jump 15.67
Zach Holdsworth (University of Wollongong & Michael Dooley) - 100m (Re-Run)
Brenton Foster (University of Virginia & Bryan Fetzer) - High Jump Q 2.20m
Grant Szalek (The University of Western Australia & Grant Ward) - High Jump Q 2.15m
Isobel Batt-Doyle - 6th
Clare O'Brien - 9th
REPORT: https://www.athletics.com.au/news/-australia-has-a-stellar-start/
The closing ceremony for the event is tomorrow night.
The 2021 World University Games take place in China.
Australia in total at World University Games won a total of 17 medals.
